Vermont's Best Italian Wine Secret, Hiding Downtown
Downtown · Burlington · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 23, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walk into Sotto Enoteca and the list tells you immediately that someone here actually cares. It's not trying to be everything to everyone — it's an Italian-focused, 100-plus bottle program that reads like a love letter to the peninsula, not a corporate wine directive. In Burlington, Vermont, that's a genuine surprise.
The list leans hard into Italy and earns it. You're getting producers like Occhipinti and Elvio Tintero alongside more accessible picks, which means there's something for the curious drinker and the seasoned one sitting at the same table. The range touches northern Alpine grapes — Grüner Veltliner from Abbazia di Novacella is a nod to Alto Adige's cross-border identity — all the way down to Frappato from Sicily. Gaps exist, as they will with any focused list, but the intent is clear: drink regional, drink interesting, drink Italian.
Twenty to thirty by-the-glass options is a serious commitment for a room this size, and Sotto delivers without padding the list with filler. At $14.50 a glass as a reference point, pricing stays in the reasonable zone for what you're getting. Rotation keeps things honest — this isn't a set-and-forget program.
Abbazia di Novacella Grüner Veltliner — $14.50
An Alto Adige Grüner from one of Italy's oldest monasteries, by the glass, at a fair price — this is the kind of pick that makes you feel like you found something. Most people walk past Grüner Veltliner on a list and order Pinot Grigio. Don't be that person.
Occhipinti Il Frappato
Arianna Occhipinti is one of the most important natural wine producers working in Sicily right now, and Il Frappato is her most approachable bottle — light, bright, and deeply food-friendly. Most people see 'Sicilian red' and expect something heavy and sun-baked. This is the opposite, and it's worth every penny.
Elvio Tintero Barbaresco
Tintero is a Moscato d'Asti house first and foremost — Barbaresco isn't their calling card, and on a list with this much personality, there are better uses of your money if you're hunting Nebbiolo. Worth asking staff what else might be available in that tier before committing.
Occhipinti Il Frappato + Salumi plate
Frappato's bright acidity and low tannin cut right through cured fat without bullying the subtle funk of the meat. It's the kind of pairing that feels effortless — which is exactly the point of a good salumi spread.
Wednesday — Half price on their full selection of Italian wines every Wednesday night.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Sotto Enoteca is punching well above its weight for a mid-size Vermont city, with a focused Italian list that rewards curiosity and a Wednesday half-price night that practically dares you not to show up. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Waterfront · Burlington · Craft Brewery with Bar Snacks
Foam is a brewery first, but the wine program punches way above its weight class — it's small, local, and priced like they actually want you to drink it. If you're on Burlington's waterfront and want something interesting in your glass that isn't a hazy IPA, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American with Vegan Options
The Daily Planet isn't a wine destination, but it has the instincts of one — a thoughtful natural wine pick, Monday half-price bottles, and fair pricing in a casual room that doesn't take itself too seriously. Send a friend here on a Monday and tell them to ask about the orange wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · New American Bistro
The Gryphon is a reliable neighborhood bistro with a wine list that matches its ambitions exactly: familiar, functional, and forgettable. Come for the burgers and brick walls, but don't expect the wine to be the highlight of your night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Burlington · Neapolitan wood-fired pizza and Italian cuisine
Pizzeria Verità isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't need to be — it's a smart, Italy-focused list with honest markups and a few genuinely interesting bottles tucked in among the crowd-pleasers. Go for the pizza, order the Nebbiolo or the Cirò, and leave happy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Church Street Marketplace · Burlington · Upscale American Steakhouse
EB Strong's has a wine list that does the job well and occasionally surprises you — especially if you look past the Caymus and dig into the European picks. Wednesday's half-price bottle program makes it one of the better wine-value nights in Burlington, full stop.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Burlington · Seasonal New American, farm-to-table
Hen of the Wood Burlington is the rare restaurant where the wine list is as considered as the food, and that's saying something when the kitchen is this good. If you're driving through Vermont and care about what's in your glass, this is worth a reservation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Downtown Provo · Provo · Italian
La Dolce Vita earns its stripes as a dependable neighborhood Italian with a wine list that actually respects the cuisine it's serving. It's not a destination wine program, but in Provo, it's one of the better options on the table — and that house pour at $4 a glass is almost disarmingly honest.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Odessa Retail Corridor · Odessa · Italian
The wine list at Olive Garden Odessa does exactly what Olive Garden's wine list is supposed to do — it's inoffensive, familiar, and gets out of the way of the breadsticks. If you're here for a serious glass of wine, you're in the wrong zip code.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Lakeland · Lakeland · Italian
Carrabba's isn't where you go to discover wine, but it's where you go to drink something decent without getting ripped off. Send a friend here if they want a familiar Italian night with a glass that makes sense — just steer them toward the Italian side of the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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